The Boy who Became a Brother
by She's From Ouran
Summary: Mix of Avatar! Sokka is younger than Katara in my story and was originally from the North Pole.
1. Chapter 1

Life in the South Pole was difficult and cold. Heck, cold was an understatement. It was as if ice was squeezing every single drop of warmth out of the world. The poor waterbender could barely bend water, let alone the ice that came with it.

It was when the life inside of her had been put to the ultimate test: Keeping a young boy, a son of the Northern water tribe, safe. How did she get a Northern water tribe baby, you may ask? Ships. Many ships, all sailing to the Northern water tribe, to team up to fight in the battle. Many kids had come to the south pole to stay safe, of course, but the little boy Katara kept watch over was very special to her.

The boy had been born a day before the ships set sail for the south pole. He was the youngest child by far, and Katara, who loved little kids, figured it would be the perfect chance to learn to care for a little boy.

However, Katara became connected to the little boy, who she had named Sokka. He was now four and she was now sixteen. She would someday have to let go of him. Someday. Not today, but someday.

Katara became more and more worried when the notes from the tribes began to thin. Normally the tribe would receive four or five notes each month, but now they were lucky to receive one. The water tribe girl would lie awake at night, wondering when the tribe would bang on her door, making her give up the boy who became a brother.

"Mommy?" Sokka toddled into the room.

"I am not your mommy, Sokka. I am your sister."

"But you act like a mommy."

Katara thought for a minute. "Yes, I suppose I do."

"Can you tell me the story of how I was born again?"

Katara smiled. She always loved telling Sokka about his past, how she'd taught him to walk and talk. "Once upon a time, there was a big battle going on."

"Is the battle still happening?"

"Sadly, yes." Katara paused, taking time to look at Sokka's worried face. "Don't worry, the battle is happening far away from here. We're safe."

"What about mommy and daddy?"

Katara turned from her little brother. She blinked back a few tears before quietly responding, "They're gone."

Sokka's face turned from its usual bright self. "Could you finish the story?"

Katara picked up her little brother and set him on her bed. "You were born right before daddy had to go and help fight. Then a big ship took you down here so I could take care of you."

"Are you the only person who took care of me?"

"Yes. I had a little bit of help from grandma Kanna, but sadly she's gone too."

"Oh."

"I taught you how to walk by-"

"Katara?"

"Yes, Sokka?"

"Did you have a mommy?"

"I used to."

"What happened to her?"

"The Fire Nation came and... took her." Katara didn't want to tell Sokka her mother had been killed during a Fire Nation raid, afraid he might freak out.

"Did they kill her?"

"...Yes."

"Why?"

"She was trying to protect me. They wanted to kill the last waterbender at the South pole, which was me." Katara yawned. "It's late. You should go to bed."

"Can I sleep in here tonight?"

"Of course you can."


	2. Chapter 2

Katara glanced from side to side. The unsuspecting guards took a literal run for their money as the water tribe girl whipped them with water, sending their stolen money into her hands. She gave every single bronze piece to the nice Air Nomad, who bowed politely to her. "That was pretty impressive," the young boy, about Sokka's age, said.

"Thank you. I really try," Sokka said, sliding his boomerang out of its protective covering.

"Oh, um, you did a great job... supervising..." the little boy chuckled. Sokka looked up at him and glared.

"So, what's your name?" Katara asked.

"I'm Aang. What is yours?"

"Katara. This is my little brother, Sokka."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sokka." Aang's face lit up. "Hey, Katara!"

"Yes, Aang?"

"Are you a real, _true _waterbending master?"

"Why, yes I am."

"Would you be willing to teach me?"

"I would, but you're an Air Nomad, correct?"

"Correct."

"So you're an airbender."

"I'm also the Avatar..."

"Oh. Right." Katara blushed at her stupidity. "I'd be happy to teach you!"

Sokka frowned and then smiled. "And I can teach you Boomerang Bending! That should be fun, right, Aang?"

"I'll just stick with waterbending for now."

Katara held out her hand to Aang like she used to do with Sokka. Aang grabbed it and smiled up at her beautiful face. Sokka marched behind the two, irritated that dumb kid had just stolen his sister from him. He was beginning to feel glad Aang didn't accept his boomerang bending offer. He couldn't trust his boomerang in his hands.

Katara led Aang down to the river where she learned her bending. She started him off with some basics, like pushing and pulling the water. Sokka decided he'd go back into town and see how much some food was.

"Like this?" After hours of training, Aang had succeeded in creating typhoons, water whips, and octopus in which he controlled.

"Perfect!" Katara replied. She had never met another waterbender, and it was nice to finally be able to teach one. She showed him a new move, throwing ice spears at trees. Again he excelled.

By the time Sokka came back, the two were gone along with a note. He grabbed it and tried opening it with one hand, seeing as how his other hand held a slab of meat. When he finally opened it, he read: _Sokka, went to the Earth Kingdom for Aang to learn earthbending. ~Katara_

Sokka was so mad he wanted to kill that Avatar. His own sister-really? Why would she leave for some stupid kid when she had him? He felt like he just wasn't good enough. Like people expected more from him. What did they expect? For him to be some sort of bender. Probably the Avatar. He began his slow, sad trudge home when a little girl's giggle startled him. "Who's there?"

"You're funny," the little girl said.

"Who are you?"

"I'm known as the Blind Bandit."

"Who's the Blind Bandit?"

"That would be me."

Sokka screamed when the "Blind Bandit" encased him in a solid cage of earth. "I'm an earthbender," she said.

"I can see that," Sokka replied, annoyed. He tried chipping the dirt away with his boomerang, but the earthbender had thought that through. She thumped her foot on the ground and moved her hand up, bringing the boomerang out of the open top. He tried to jump and get it, but the little girl had also thought that through. She made a five-foot deep hole around Sokka. "This isn't over!" he yelled.

"You're correct. It never even started." The little girl walked away with Sokka's boomerang in hand. He struggled against the dirt until he finally climbed out of the hole. He grabbed the earth bars and made his way to the top, jumping out.

Sokka chased after the girl and found her sitting out in the courtyard of the Bei Fong's household. _She's a Bei Fong? _he thought. The girl heard him coming and sent a wall of earth in front of him. He punched it, cracking it slightly. He cracked at it again. _Wait, _he thought, _I can just go around it. _He walked around to the outside and came up the courtyard.

"Wow, you made it around my rock wall. How original," the Blind Bandit said. She threw the boomerang at Sokka's feet and stood from the bench she sat at. She stuck her hand out rather forcefully. "I'm Toph," she began, "it's nice to meet you."

Sokka shook her hand. "Sokka," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

Sokka began to forget about Katara. Yeah, he was still pretty mad about the whole thing, but overall he loved spending time with Toph. They even began attending school together, and Sokka loved every minute of it. He was in all of the fighting classes, getting better at his boomerang bending every day.

Katara was worried about Sokka. She had, after all, just left him. She wanted to turn back and head home, but Aang needed her, too. She was so confused and frustrated that she barely even noticed the messenger hawk perched on her windowsill. She grabbed the letter and read it. It read: _Dear Katara, everything is going fine here. I've met a great new friend! ~Sokka_

Reading the note made Katara guilty. She knew Sokka, and he wasn't happy. He probably wanted her home with him. She decided that Aang needed her more. Besides, he found a new friend. Still, she felt really strange about staying with Aang rather than her little brother. Still, she pushed the feelings aside.

About a month after Sokka enrolled in school with Toph, he was given a chance to leave the school and attend the Jeong Jeong Fighting and Bending Academy. However, Toph wasn't invited. "Sorry," he said, "but I'd rather stay here with my best friend."

"Sokka, go!" Toph pleaded.

"No! I won't leave you!"

Toph sighed. "Fine, but you're giving up a great offer here," she tried to change his mind.

"Well, I've got an even greater offer right here." Sokka squeezed Toph's hand, making her jump. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of crimson when he gave her a kiss on the forehead. He then acted like nothing happened, and Toph did the same.

Sokka had no idea Katara was traveling back until he received a note from her: _Aang has been unable to find a master. We're coming home and looking there. ~Katara_

Sokka's eyes brightened and he ran to the Bei Fong's courtyard. "Is Toph here?" he asked a guard.

"She left about an hour ago to go to the market," the guard replied. But Sokka knew exactly where she was. She was, in fact, down by the river in her earth cave. He wasted no time making his way to the edge of the water, but the blind earthbender was nowhere to be seen.

Sokka had learned much from her. How to see the ground and below. He closed his eyes, clenched his toes, and felt with his feet. He saw her-about five minutes down the beach, crying. He slowly made his way to her, seeing a picture of her mother in her hands. "I'm so sorry," Sokka began.

"You don't understand. Nobody does. Not even dad. She's gone, she left. She didn't die, though I wish she would have. Leaving us was the worst thing imaginable. I could barely bear the death of my master-" She immediately stopped. "We're being watched. Follow me!"

Toph grabbed Sokka's hand, ignoring her crimson cheeks. She stopped and stomped, recovering her untouched cave that Sokka had been to so many times. He knew his way around, inside and out. He could probably close his own eyes and ignore his newly learned foot-seeing and still make his way around. He couldn't even do that at his own house, since every night he was either picnicking with Toph in the river cave, at the beach, or on the dock or spending the night out looking for Katara.

Toph pinned him against the wall. "You asked them where I was!"

"Yes, but for a good-_BLECH!_" Toph stuffed a fistful of mud into his mouth.

"Do you REALIZE what they'd do if they found out I lied to them? They would revoke my privileges!"

Sokka, still spitting the mud out of his mouth, shrunk down the wall. Toph shrunk with him, sitting right next to him. She flicked her wrist, sending all of the mud out of Sokka's mouth and onto the ground. "Why would _you _need privileges? Toph Bei Fong, you are a true inspiration to me. You mastered earthbending, A. B., you're only twelve. And C., I've realized something. Something important."

"What is it?"

"It's that I like you... more than a friend or a best friend. I mean, like a... _crush?_" Sokka was unsure about what her reaction would be. When she didn't say a single word, he knew he had just blown the chance of any friendly relationship between them. He got up, brushed his shirt off, and left the cave, trying to hold back the tears until he was out of Toph's foot vision.


	4. Chapter 4

Sokka sat at the edge of the dock, ignoring the world. Ignoring everything. Ignoring his mind.

At least, until a huge furry flying thing scared him stiff. Katara and Aang hopped off, and Sokka stood up, preparing to yell at Aang. "WHY did you take my SISTER on this big FURBALL? I can handle the arrows on your head and your special Avatar Magic, but a BIG HUGE FLYING COTTON SWAB? I don't think so!" Sokka kicked the animal, which growled at him and smacked him with his tail.

"Sorry, Sokka," Aang said.

"It's fine. I'm just pretty upset right now."

"Wanna talk about it?" Katara asked.

"Not really..."

"C'mon, buddy. You can tell us anything," Aang smiled his goofy smile.

"I said, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Sokka got up and marched off to his house. Sitting on the porch was Toph, crying.

"Sokka, I'm sorry. I was shocked by what you said in the cave. I really do-MPH!" Toph exclaimed as Sokka kissed her on the lips. She loved it. She loved him. Whenever she was near him she felt safe. Safer than safe. Like nothing could tear them apart.

When they finally stopped kissing, they realized Aang and Katara were nearby, watching the two. Toph was so mad she sent a wave of earth their way. "Who ARE you, are you STALKING me?"

"No," Aang said. "I can see you're an earthbender. Hi, my name's Aang." He stuck out his hand friendly-like, and because Toph was blind she didn't see. "I've heard much about you. You'd be a great teacher, if you were willing."

"Why would I need to teach you? Sokka told me all about his sister, who's been teaching you waterbending. You're a waterbender."

"No, I'm the Avatar."

Toph blushed with stupidity just as Katara had and agreed. "We start training tomorrow morning, by the beach." Toph began walking to her house when she turned. "By the way, I'm Toph." She then continued walking.

"Toph," Aang whispered to himself. "What a pretty name."

Toph, hearing Aang, replied, "It means sandstone."

"Wow. My name just means... well, I don't really know what it means."

"Maybe it means Twinkletoes. I can barely see you!"

Aang scratched his head in confusion. "What do you mean? I thought you were blind."

"I am. I can "see" by feeling the vibrations in the ground. I can tell that Katara is standing next to a large furry thing and that Sokka is between the hedges and that you're sitting on the bench over there."

Leaving Aang to try and figure out what she meant, the earthbender ran off to her house.

And Aang knew that was the start of a long, loving friendship.


End file.
